Polyvalent cations of heavy metals such as iron when present in high concentration in wine and other beverages can adversely affect product quality. They may cause objectionable organoleptic properties including metallic taste, discoloration and oxidative flavor changes, as well as forming hazes and cloudiness. Reducing heavy metal content in beverages, especially wines, has long been desirable.
Iron can accumulate in beverages for a number of reasons, for example, from high iron content soils and dust that settle on the fruit before processing. The main reason iron may amass is from the corrosion of metal processing equipment and storage containers or any other metal parts that are in contact with the beverage.
Iron levels above 4 mg/L may require treatment of the wine to reduce the iron concentration in order to prevent unwanted cloudiness, oxidation and premature aging.
The present invention provides a novel means for selective removal of heavy metals, especially iron cations, from beverages such as wines and fruit juices. This invention overcomes the below-mentioned problems of known methods, for example it binds iron to the most complete extent possible, produces no toxicologically objectionable products even in the case of over clarification, and acts selectively on heavy metal ions.